Rejoice? After Sandy Hook?

It has been a week of mixed emotions as we prepare for Christmas.  There is a heavy sadness that hangs over our nation at the atrocious violence in Newtown, CT.  All week I have seen tributes and prayers for the families who have had their lives torn apart by what now seems to be a cold calculated killer.  Alas, that anyone should face such days!  At the same time several families in our congregation are dealing with the loss of loved ones ranging in age from newborn to nonagenarian.  There is so much sadness in this life! 

These days before Christmas are usually seen as days of celebrations and delight.  We resonate with the first half of Paul’s words in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice!” as we bake cookies, read Christmas stories, watch movies, go caroling, and the like.  However, this week we have also been confronted with the last half of Paul’s message in Romans 12:15, “Weep with those who weep.” 

Such sorrow and sadness in our world confirms the suspicion that all is not as it should be.  Indeed, Jesus confronts us with the truth that our world is broken, held hostage, and in rebellion against the God who made it to be good. 

How, then, do we respond to such awful events?  Lately, I have found myself constantly thinking for political solutions to problems like these, wondering why all these shooters are white males between the ages of 14 and 25, and feeling agitated, bothered, distracted, and upset.  I feel the pull to respond to the tragedies we have faced this month as the world would respond to them.  I need to learn to be in the world while not being of it. 

When we are in the world but not of it, we will certainly grieve over such injustice, but there will be peace for God is still God and we trust Him to make all things right.  We may experience anger and frustration, but it will flow from love for those who are hurt or have been lost.  We will deliver the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control – to a world which lacks all these things. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not berating you or anyone if you’re feeling the weight of sorrow on your shoulders right now.  You’ll find no pie-in-the-sky, Polly Anna, proclamations of forced happiness or faked perfection here.  What I am saying is to take a good look at the baby in the manger and think about His life.  He dealt with reality and gave us hope.  He was crushed by sin’s consequence, but He also overcame it for us so we can live.  He could have stayed in heaven and avoided all the suffering and sorrow of our world, but because He loves us He became one of us, leaving the glory of His home for the brokenness of ours. 

Jesus gives us the ability to have a clear view of life.  We see the reality of evil.  We experience the presence of pain.  We do not gloss over these and pretend that they are aberrations in world that is basically good.  This is the way of a world that has fallen, been redeemed, and will be renewed, and the hope we have in Jesus is the Good News that will renew it.  We bear that hope and message into the world. 

Remember, as it says in Philippians 4:  The Lord is near!  Christmas shows that to us so clearly as Immanuel, whose name means, God with us, comes to us in the flesh.  He is at work, even when you cannot see or imagine how, and He loves you.  So we say, “Rejoice in the Lord!” in the face of all that would cause us to doubt His presence, love, and goodness for Jesus has won the victory. 

Questions to Ponder

-          What is the cause of all the woes of the world?

-          What did God do about it?

-          When have you wept with those who weep?  How can simply weeping with someone be a comfort to them? 

-          When have you rejoiced with those who rejoice? 

-          Seeing the events of the last week, what do you weep over?  What do you rejoice in? 

-          How can our belief in Humanity’s Fall into Sin and Jesus’ Atonement for Sin help us deal with evil in the world?  

Dear Malachi - yeah, I'm talking to you!

Dear Malachi,

Yes, I mean you, dear reader!  You might be saying, “My name is not Malachi!” but it is a good title for us as followers of Jesus.  You see, the name Malachi means, “My messenger.”  Each of us has heard the Word of the Lord proclaiming God’s forgiveness, love, and salvation, and we are all authorized to share that message with others.  So, …

Dear Malachi,

We are well into our preparations for Christmas, and this past Sunday we ran into one of the key figures of the Advent Season:  John the Baptizer.  (I know it is more common to call him, “the Baptist,” but John was by no means a Baptist, as in today’s denomination, but he certainly was one who baptized people – a Baptizer.)  It was almost obligatory that we should sing, “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry announces that the Lord is nigh….” 

John came to prepare the way for the Lord.  He called people to repentance.  That is, he called them to turn away from their sins and to return to God.  He urged them to turn away from their sinful behaviors and return to the God who had saved them.  Throughout his ministry his message was, “The kingdom of God is at hand.”  He reminded the world that it had a King – and it was not Herod or Caesar.  His preaching found its highest point when he pointed to that King and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” 

Like John, we modern day Malachim (plural of Malachi) share the same message.  We still call people to turn away from sin and proclaim forgiveness in Jesus’ name.  We remind the world that the King will come again.  He is not far away, disinterested, or non-existent as some suppose, but He is nigh, close at hand, at work in the Word and Sacraments to touch us, transform us, and give us life.  And, we point to Jesus as say, “Look!  The Lamb of God!”  It is by Jesus blood shed on the cross that our sins are paid.  And, of course, we remind the world that Jesus not only died, but rose in victory, lives, reigns to all eternity and will come again. 

How do we do that, though?  We have not been called to go out to the Cuyahoga River dressed in camels’ hair to cry out, “You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?”  Instead, our sharing of the message happens in a variety of ways.  The message in our Christmas cards is one; we point people to the real meaning of Christmas.  Our conversations are another opportunity to declare to people the King has come and has saved us as we discuss the matters of our lives.  Our actions also speak a message to others.  When our choices flow from the forgiveness we have received people will see mercy, generosity, kindness, humility, and Christlikeness in us, and they will hear loud and clear. 

So, share the message.  Remind your children about the real meaning of Christmas.  Tell a friend, “I think Christmas is all about God’s love for us and that He came to be one of us!”  There are many ways to say the message that Jesus is the Lord Who Saves His People – literally. 

Questions to Ponder

Read Luke 3:1-14

-          Why does Luke go through the trouble of naming so many people at the beginning of this reading?  How is it significant to place the historical setting of this event?

-          What was John’s message to his listeners?

-          What did John tell the crowd, tax collectors, and soldiers they should do? 

-          What is your impression of John?  What do you feel is the most important part of his message in this reading?

-          Luke quoted Isaiah in vv. 4-6.  What message did Isaiah say John would proclaim?  How do you prepare for the coming of Jesus? 

-          God comes to us in the Word and Sacraments when we gather for worship.  How do you prepare for coming to meet the Lord on Sunday morning?  What kinds of things do you/could you do to prepare for worship?  

Christmas is about Jesus. Duh!

I once heard a story about a person who called tech support because his computer would not turn on.  Tech support walked the man through several steps to try to fix the problem.  He was urged to try “Control-Alt-Delete.”  It didn’t work.  He was instructed to press and hold the power button for fifteen seconds and then release it, wait a minute, then press it again.  Nothing.  Tech support asked the man to check to see if the computer was plugged in.  It was, but would still not turn on.  Finally the technician asked the man to check the cable connecting the screen to the processing unit.  The man said, “I’ll try, but it’s really hard to see in here.”  The tech asked why it was hard to see.  The man replied, “Well, the power is out in the whole building, so we don’t have any lights.”  Technical support replied, “I think I’ve found the problem.” 

It may seem obvious, but if the power is not on your computer will not work. 

It may seem obvious, but Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. 

That fact, which may be so obvious to us, seems to be lost in our world.  And as we live in the world and experience its influence in our lives we must take care to not lose sight of the truth, nor let our children buy into the world’s agenda for the holidays. 

If you will allow the analogy, it is essential to our faith to remain “plugged in” during the Christmas season.  While some would have us plug into festivities and sentimentality – both of which can be quite nice and good – we are urged to plug into Christ.  Advent gives us exactly that opportunity as we dig into God’s promises, remember the prophecies regarding Jesus’ birth, and reflect on our need for the savior who was born in a stable. 

Advent also brings us to the beginning of a new church year.  You will notice that our Gospel Lessons will come to us primarily from the Book of Luke.  Last night at our midweek Advent service I commented that Luke 1 is one of the most overlooked sections of the New Testament.  I’d like to encourage you to look it over to see what God did to prepare for the first Christmas, and to draw from there what we can do to prepare for our Christmas celebration and to get ready for Jesus’ second coming. 

Luke is also the book that we will begin with if you join me in the challenge to read the New Testament next year.  It just seems right since we’ll be reading from it almost every Sunday this year. 

So, let me state a couple of things that are obvious: 

1.       Christmas is about Jesus.  Look for ways to remember and remind people about him in your celebrations, as you listen to Christmas music, and as you prepare. 

2.       You have to have power to live the Christian life.  That power comes through the presence of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, through the Word and Sacraments.  Reading God’s Word, hearing it, singing it, etc. are like plugging in.  God gives us great gifts in His Word and through the Sacraments – including forgiveness, life, hope, peace, joy, love, salvation, and so much more. 

God bless you as you prepare for Christmas!

It's the End of the World!

Back in 1987 pop band R.E.M. sang a song called, It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).  It’s a catchy song with fast moving lyrics and it touches on the question that many ask at some point or another; “When will this world end?” 

In our Gospel lesson this past Sunday, Mark 13:24-37, Jesus spoke of the End.  This was in response to a question asked by the disciples back in v. 4 in regard to Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.  That destruction took place in 70 A.D.  The final end is yet to come. 

It is said that Martin Luther was once asked, “What would you do if you knew Christ was returning tomorrow?”  His response was, “I would plant an apple tree.” 

I don’t know if Luther actually said that, but there is wisdom in that statement that goes nicely with Jesus’ comments regarding the end.  Jesus said that no one know when the end will be.  We are to pay attention – “keep our heads in the game” – and be about the work God has given us to do. 

Every day is lived in anticipation of the End when Jesus will return.  We must not be lulled to sleep by the comforts and pleasures of this world, and thereby lose sight of God’s calling on our lives. 

We are God’s witnesses in this world, displaying what it means to be forgiven, redeemed, and loved.  God gives us this privilege in each of our vocations – our “life callings.”  I get to do this as a pastor; preaching and teaching.  Some of you get to do this as teachers, others as lawyers, some as laborers, many as moms or dads, wives or husbands. 

Luther’s supposed statement, “I would plant an apple tree,” says nothing more than, “I would live my life as God has called me.”  We live in the confidence of God’s grace through the cross and empty tomb, so the Last Day is as any other day. 

When I was a little boy, my parents taught me to pray, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”  Whether we lay down or get up, if we live or die, on the First Day or the Last Day our confidence and meaning for life is the same:  “Jesus died and rose for me.”  And that is how we live. 

Questions to Ponder

-          Jesus speaks of the darkening of the skies in Mark 13:25, but in v. 26 he speaks of something that will be seen despite the darkness.  What is it?

-          What lesson does Jesus want us to learn from the fig tree?

-          Why is it important to know that, although we might not know when, we do know that Jesus will come again in light of vv.32-27?  How is this a statement of God’s Law?  How is it a reminder of the Gospel?

-          How do you feel about the End?  What emotions, questions, or images come to your mind?

-          I argue that the word translated, “Watch!” in the NIV has a fuller meaning of seeing what’s going on around you and that Jesus is urging us here to, “Keep your head in the game.”  What distracts you from God’s love and word?  How do reading the Bible, praying, and going to church services help keep our heads in the game?

-          Verse 31 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”  How can knowing that God’s Word will never pass away give you confidence to live the faith in this life?

God's Mission is Now

It was wonderful to have the opportunity to worship with over 700 Lutheran Christians this past Sunday at the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) Leadership Conference.  It was exhilarating to sing Built on the Rock (one of my favorite hymns) with so many voices united in the hope that the message of the Gospel will never stop being declared, no matter what we experience in the world. 

Something that came home to me during the conference was that these are interesting days that we live in.  Every generation faces its challenges and struggles (and every generation believes they have it harder than the previous).  I don’t think that what we face in the world today is better or worse than what the Church faced when we were children, or at some other point of history.  It is just different from the recent past. 

There was a time that the church was central to U.S. American society; as we learned in Mission U, we were “insiders.”  White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs) were the dominant demographic in American politics, and while Lutherans really don’t fit into that category, we look enough like WASPs to have benefitted from their dominance.  In that culture the primary temptation we faced in the church was complacency.  People came to us for weddings, baptisms, funerals, and other needs, and we were content in our buildings magnanimously welcoming the masses to the Light. 

Today the church finds itself more and more as an outsider.  More and more voices are calling to end the church’s tax exempt status saying, “End the Free Ride!”  The government is placing more pressure on church bodies to compromise core values through mandates like the recent one from the Health and Human Services Department.  There has been a federal case that challenged a LCMS congregation on who they can retain as a minister.  The temptation we face is to throw up our hands, cry out, “Woe is me!” and hide in our churches; effectively removing ourselves from society. 

The Scriptures teach, “And he [God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, ²⁷ that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, ²⁸ for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'”  (Acts 17:26-28 ESV)  This means that God has chosen the time and place for our own lives for the purpose of drawing people to Him. 

God’s mission is clear.  He desires all people to be saved.  (1 Timothy 2:4) He calls us to make disciples of all nations baptizing and teaching.  (Matthew 28:19-20)  No matter what changes take place in the world, God’s Word remains eternally.  As Luther wrote, “God’s Word forever shall abide, no thanks to foes who fear it; For God himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit.”  (A Mighty Fortress, v. 4) 

We have been called for this time to serve in this place to reach people with the Gospel.  As the sermon at the LCEF worship service said, “Now is the time!”  Now is the time we get to be the Church, servants of God, the body of Christ, and vessels of the Holy Spirit.  Now we get to share the good news that the Man from Galilee was, indeed, crucified and died, but He is risen and reigns to all eternity. 

Questions:

-          How has the world (or even just our country) changed in your lifetime in a way that causes you anxiety or frustration?

-          In Acts 17 Paul spoke to a group of pagans in Athens.  What do his words in vv. 26-28 say about: (a) God’s desire for mankind?  (b) Our placement in history and geography?

-          Look at 1 Timothy 2:4 and Matthew 28:19-20.  Summarize what God’s purpose is for us. 

-          One of the ways you can share the Gospel with others is to bring them to church with you.  What hinders you from asking a friend to join you for church?  (If there is anything in our services that keeps you from asking people to come to church with us, I definitely want to know!) 

-          Luther ended his hymn A Mighty Fortress saying, “God’s Word forever shall abide, no thanks to foes who fear it; For God himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit.  Were they to take our house, Goods, fame, child, or spouse, Though life be wrenched away, They cannot win the day.  The Kingdom’s ours forever.”  Where does he point us for our confidence for the future?  What place does God’s Word hold in your life?

God at Work

Well, it happened again last night.  About 15 of our youth gathered at McDonald’s in Hudson to talk about Jesus and living as His disciples.  Thoughts were shared.  Ideas challenged.  The Word of God was studied.  Hearts were filled with God’s Spirit. 

Awesome! 

When I think about the work that is done here at Gloria Dei, I am often in awe.  Everywhere I look I see God’s fingerprints in the opportunities He is giving us, the staff He has assembled here, the skills and talents he has given our congregational leaders, the gifts He has given to each of us He gathers here, and in the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation He pours out on us week upon week, day upon day. 

Incredible!  Our God is so good!

You have probably noticed that the world has changed in your lifetime.  In fact, it is changing.  The challenges we face as a congregation are very different than they were years ago.  In years past people had a general sense of right and wrong, sacred and secular, and even holiness and awe which was heavily influenced by the Bible.  In that context mission and ministry often meant feeding the poor, advocating for the needing, and meeting other needs in places like Cleveland, Akron, and, especially, overseas. 

All of those needs still exist, but it has become more and more clear that there is a new mission field that has opened up, and that the needs are pressing there too.  That new mission field is called, “Home.”  And the work that needs to be done is not so much economic or social but spiritual.  (The socio-economic need is there too!  There are 46 families in Hudson that require the services of the food bank at Rejoice! Lutheran, and I read in the Toledo Blade that the federal government will be cutting food stamp aid in Ohio by $50 a month.)

God foretold of these days through the prophet Amos, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘when I will send a famine on the land-- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.’” (Amos 8:11 ESV)  The want for food and basic requirements is a real, tangible, problem in our world.  Out of love for our neighbor we want to meet that need.  Yet there is also a greater need – the famine for hearing the words of the Lord – that we are called to meet. 

We acknowledge that calling in our mission statement:  Gathering People to Christ, Building Believers in Christ, and Serving the World as Christ.  We meet people where they are to share the Word of the Lord, Jesus Christ, with them so they can have the salvation He won for us and experience the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. 

Your prayers, efforts, and support are essential to our work as a congregation.  As we worship, work, serve, live, and give together in Christ, God will keep doing His work, gathering, building and serving, and, make no mistake, we will make a difference here in time and in eternity. 

Questions to Ponder

Normally I focus on one of the previous Sunday’s scripture lessons at this point of my weekly letter.  This week we will look a little more at Amos 8:11 and at our mission.

-          How has the world changed in your lifetime?  What is good and what is bad compared to your younger years? 

-          What effects do you think a famine of hearing God’s Word has in a person’s life?  How does that affect society?

-          Have you ever felt hungry for God’s Word, either to hear it or to receive it in the Lord’s Supper?  Was your hunger satisfied?  If so, how?  If not, what can be done?

-          Does Amos 8:11 lessen the importance of caring for physical hunger, thirst, and basic needs?  Where to these fit in comparison to the need for God’s Word? 

-          How are you involved in God’s mission to meet people’s basic needs?  Their spiritual needs?  How do you use your time, talent, and treasures to support God’s work? 

-          As you think about our mission statement, how do Gathering, Building, and Serving meet both kinds of famine mentioned in Amos?  How important is it to meet both the physical and spiritual aspects of God’s mission?  Why?

-          Where do you see God doing His work? 

Salvation Belongs to Our God

Dear Saints,

Yes, this message is to you.  I know that sometimes people balk at being called “saints” but that is what we are because of Jesus’ death and resurrection.  The word “saint” is our translation for a word that means, “holy ones.”  And we are indeed holy because God declares us holy; washed in Jesus’ blood and given new life in Him. 

This past Sunday was All Saints Sunday.  All Saints Day is actually November 1, and historically churches had services on the day to both commemorate the faithfully departed and celebrate that our God saves.  These days we move those emphases to the Sunday following All Saints Day, and hopefully they came through loud and clear. 

As we read the names of those who passed away in the prior year, we did so in anticipation of God’s resurrection and salvation.  I am certain that many other names came to mind, too.  I spoke of my Grandpa Tritten, who died before I was even born.  You may have thought of a parent, a sibling, or a child, too.  Times like this stir the grief in our hearts, reminding us that this world is not as it should be, and we are agents of eternal life sharing hope in a world where we all die.  This is why we prayed, “… we remember with thanksgiving those who loved and served You … who now rest from their labors.  Keep us in fellowship with all Your saints, and bring us at last to the joy of Your heavenly kingdom.” 

Tears are not a bad thing.  Grief is not evil.  They should not overcome us – at least not for long – for we live with the hope of resurrection.  As we confess in the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe … the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.”  And we teach, “On the Last Day [the Holy Spirit] will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true.”  (Small Catechism) 

In Christ, life dominates death.  The grave cannot hold hostage those who have received Christ’s life by faith, in Baptism, and in the Supper.  As Romans 6 says, we are baptized into Jesus’ death that we might have a resurrection like His as well. 

Revelation 7:9-17, our first reading on Sunday, gave us a picture of heaven.  It spoke of the great multitude gathered around God’s throne, from, “every nation, tribe, people and language,” singing and worshiping with angels, archangels and the whole company of heaven.  That holy gathering includes you and me, foreseeing our salvation and our praises ascending and proclaiming, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb [that is, Jesus].” 

We have been saved from sin and death.  We have also been saved for life – to live as God’s people revealing the Good News of what God has done and is doing in and for us.  We may yet be going through the “great tribulation” – I believe we are – but we do so knowing that death has no grip on us.  We live now and will live forever in Christ, as do all who have faith in Him. 

Questions to Ponder

-          Read Revelation 7:9-17.  Imagine the scene.  What does it look like?  How extensive is the effect of God’s salvation?  Where will the saved come from?

-          Take note of the songs in this reading – what the angels and people cry out.  What kinds of things do they praise God for?

-          What promises are given to you in v.15-17?

-          Look at v. 14.  I understand “the great tribulation” to be all of life in this world between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and His return on Judgment Day.  What, then, does this verse mean?  Who is this speaking of?

-          Can you imagine yourself as one of those in white robes?  Why or why not?  How can you be confident that you are in that multitude around the throne?

-          On Sunday, I asked, “Who is in your picture frame?”  In other words, who is someone you miss who has died and is with Jesus’ in glory?  How did that person impact your faith and life?

Reformation Day

Reformation Day, 2013

When Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-five Theses to Wittenberg’s castle church door in 1517, he had no idea what kind of firestorm he was lighting.  That event was the catalyst for many important historical events, changes in the church, and transformation of the culture.  The most important thing that happened that day, however, was the beginning of a process that led to the rediscovery the Gospel – the good news that God loves us and has saved us from our sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

One of the scripture passages that was central to reclaiming the Gospel is Romans 3, which we read from in our second reading on Sunday.  In particular, these words stood out:  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

What a beautiful word for us!  While no one will be found righteous because of what they do, we will be made righteous because of what God has done for us!  Shockingly, this is nothing new, but the Law and the Prophets – that is the Old Testament – testify to this truth:  God loves sinners and makes us right with Himself. 

At Luther’s time this good news was buried in a morass of political maneuvering and papal power.  The Word of God was used like a club to keep citizenry in line and to enforce the empire’s unity under emperor and pope.  Indeed, the pope actively bought and sold official positions, and went so far as to sell salvation.  That is, after all, the idea behind buying indulgences; “I am getting forgiveness and salvation for myself or my loved one.”  And this was, of course, the burning issue for Luther when he read that our righteousness is not based on what we do, but on what God has done for us. 

The Gospel lesson on Sunday drove this point home, too.  In John 8:34 and 36, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins in a slave to sin.”  And, “[I]f the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  It is evident that each of us sins.  Just examine your life.  And if you don’t see it in self-examination, follow Luther’s advice, “… look around you.  See whether you are also in the world, or if you do not know it, ask your neighbor about it.” (Large Catechism)  He will have seen plenty to testify against you!  (And me!)  Because we sin we are slaves who must be set free.  This the Son has done for us, and because He has set us free we are free indeed.

Thanks be to God that this good news and freedom through Jesus’ death and resurrection has been declared to us!  Thanks be to God that we have the privilege of sharing that good news and freedom with others as we declare the deeds of him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light!  (1 Peter 2:9)  Truly we can praise God singing, “God’s Word forever shall abide, No thanks to foes, who fear it; For God Himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit.  Where they to take our house, Goods, honor, child, or spouse, Though life be wrenched away, They cannot win the day.  The Kingdom’s ours forever!”  (A Mighty Fortress, v. 4)

Questions to Ponder

-          Look at Romans 3:19-28.  According to verses 19-20 what does the Law do?

-          Where does God’s righteousness come from?  How is it received?

-          Why did God give Jesus as the sacrifice of atonement according to verses 25 & 26?

-          What does it mean for God to be “just and the one who justifies,” or, as the English Standard and King James versions so nicely translate, “just and justifier”? 

-          What are some of the things people say we have to do to be saved?  How does Romans 3 apply to those things?

-          Consider faith for a moment.  Where does it come from?  How does one get it?  Is it the same as knowledge?  According to this passage, what does faith do?  

Greed & Generosity

Last Monday night I watched the presidential candidates’ debate.  The topic was supposed to be foreign policy, but it often strayed from that topic to a more domestic focus:  the economy.  Money is on many an American’s mind these days as we look to the future with questions regarding taxes, deficits, and our cost of living.  It is almost as though the common consensus is that if people just had more money everything would be okay. 

Interestingly, this past Sunday we read these words in worship:  Whoever loves money never has money enough money; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.  (Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV) 

For the sake of full disclosure, I like having money as much as anyone does.  In years past we had times in our household when we have wondered how much of which bills we were going to pay, how we were going to buy groceries, and where the gas money was going to come from.  I much prefer having enough cash to pay bills to the stress and doubt of insufficient funds.  We all need money to some degree. 

This verse, however,  speaks to our human condition and our restless desire for more.  After all, “more” seems to be the mark of success, prestige, status, and happiness.  It is almost as though we added a verse to the Bible that says, “Blessed are those who have more, for they do not lack.”  People often go deep into debt to have “more.”  Dave Ramsey lampoons this practice saying, “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.”  The desire for “more” instead of “enough” is a dangerous thing. 

Whenever we deal with money, wealth, and material goods there are two words that are useful to keep in mind.  They both begin with the letter, “G.”  They are:  greed and generosity. 

Having wealth, in and of itself, is not a problem.  But if that wealth takes hold of our hearts, and it becomes our source of confidence of comfort, there is powerful temptation to accumulate more and more and more.  That temptation, stated bluntly, is greed.  Greed is deadly to our faith, to our relationship with God and with others, and to our happiness.  (Remember that in Mark 10, the rich young ruler “went away sad”?) 

The contrast to greed is generosity.  Generosity is God’s purpose for wealth.  It flows from the profound perspective that we have freely received from God, therefore we can freely give.  When we recognize God’s provision for our life – especially the gift of forgiveness in the death and resurrection of Jesus – we can begin to treasure God’s blessings rightly and be free to generously use them to His glory. 

Financial stewardship is an important part of our lives as Christ-followers.  We often approach stewardship from the standpoint of, “You should do this.”  It’s true.  We should.  But let’s try to look at stewardship from a different point of view:  Christ has set us free from sin and death so that we may be generous.  We have such confidence in the God that provides for us that we are released to give away some of what we have.  We are children of the Heavenly Father who is exceedingly generous with us, so it is simply a family trait for us to be generous too. 

As we approach the time that we pledge for our tithes and offerings to the Lord, please take time to prayerfully consider your giving back to the Lord and support for His mission.  Know that your church thanks God for your past and present generosity and looks forward to how God will bless your congregation through you in the future. 

Questions to Ponder

-          Looking back at Ecclesiastes 5:10, why do people find it difficult to be content with their salaries and level of wealth?

-          What about you?  If you came into a large sum of money, what would you do with it?  How would it feel to give away a whole bunch of money?

-          Generosity is not only about money, although that is what I have focused on here.  How can you be generous with your talents?  What can you do that would bless someone else?  How does it feel to help others?

-          We can also be generous with our time.  Who would benefit from your time?  How might you use your time in a generous way? 

-          List some ways you have experienced God’s generosity.  How do you feel about the idea that generosity is linked to being a child of God?  How would you like to have said of you, “Like Father like son/daughter!” 

-          When I was in the seminary, I once examined my spending and was shocked at how much money I was wasting on fast food, movies, and beer.  There is nothing wrong with spending money on things that give us pleasure, but such spending can get in the way of our generosity.  Is there any unhealthy spending in your life?  How would you feel about re-routing those funds to God’s mission? 

Christ's Ambassadors

It was a treat and a blessing to have Pastor Eliona Bernard from Cap Haitian, Haiti with us last Sunday.  Missouri Synod Lutherans are not known for our ecumenical efforts – in fact it’s generally said we don’t do anything ecumenical, which isn’t really true – but we have many partner churches around the world, and a couple here in the U.S., too.  The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) is one of those partner churches, and it is encouraging to see brothers and sisters in Christ active in the mission of God who have the same doctrine and values as we do.  (To be sure, we rejoice to see what the Spirit does throughout the body of Christ, but in a sinfully divided world it is especially encouraging to experience the unity in Word and Sacrament ministry we have with the ELCH and others.)

Pastor Bernard preached about 2 Corinthians 5:20:  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He also reminded us that, in Christ, we are a new creation, and that we are deeply loved by God.  Those things go hand-in-hand!  As redeemed Children of God (new creatures) we have become ambassadors (those sent to represent a kingdom).  We represent the Kingdom of God in this word so others may know the love and salvation of Jesus!

What a great message for us as we think about our mission of Gathering People to Christ, Building Believers in Christ and Serving the World as Christ.  In all these things we are first-and-foremost recipients:  those who have been loved by God and made new creations by the death and resurrection of Jesus!  But now we also represent the God who has loved us and God uses us to gather people to Him, build believers in their faith and walk with Himself, and serve the world because Jesus, our savior and lord, came to serve. 

Pastor Bernard’s presence among us, however, raises a question we have not yet answered.  It is this:  What is next for our work with Haiti? 

To listen to all the good Pastor Bernard and his congregation is doing in Haiti captures one’s imagination.  Their ministry to children through their schools – feeding, teaching, and evangelizing them – is compelling.  Their efforts at providing indigenous funding by selling chickens and urging giving from the people of the congregation are highly commendable.  (I was impressed that Pastor Bernard made it clear that they had need, while he also showed us they were working hard to provide for themselves!)  Seeing pictures of the construction financed by donations of fifty-cents to twenty-dollars was inspirational. 

During our mission trip to Haiti we went to the beach one day.  It was between Leogane, where we were helping to build houses, and Port au Prince.  The coast runs east/west there, but one can see the coast make an almost ninety degree turn to head north.  I remember sitting and wondering about that part of Haiti, and a strong desire to see that part of Haiti filled my heart.  Perhaps our next step is to go to Cap Haitian.  That being said, once you’ve been to Haiti, the need and opportunity in that land is evident wherever you go, and perhaps the work we did in May is intended to be a starting place for future work.  I don’t know, and I commend this to us all to pray about. 

The one thing that is clear to me in this situation is that we cannot turn away from our brothers and sisters in the ELCH any more than we can turn away from Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry or Hope in the City.  I am convinced that these are organizations that give us the opportunity to be Christ’s ambassadors; even as we are His ambassadors our neighborhoods in the Hudson, Stow, Twinsburg Corridor. 

Please join me in praying about God’s vision for Gloria Dei and asking Him to lead us in His mission to gather people, build believers, and serve the world…

  

Some Questions to Ponder

-          Look at 2 Corinthians 5:14-21.  What is the driving force behind Paul’s desire to proclaim the Gospel?  How does that apply to us?

-          As God reconciles people to Himself, what does He not count?  What does that mean in regard to being a new creation?

-          Verse 21 is a powerful statement of Gospel.  Who is “him who had no sin”?  What is the promise of this passage in regard to our sin? 

-          As Christians we are dual citizens.  We are citizens of the United States (or some other nation) and of the Kingdom of God.  If we are Christ’s ambassadors, as 2 Corinthians 5 says, what are the implications for our interactions with our neighbors and fellow (earthly) citizens? 

-          It is easy to see need in a place like Haiti.  What are the needs of Twinsburg, Hudson, and Stow that we can meet with Jesus’ love?  (I would love to hear your thoughts on this.)

-          Have you ever prayed about the amazing message that Jesus took your sin and gave you His righteousness?  What are the sins you are most ashamed of?  What guilty thought bothers you?  This verse tells us that Jesus has borne all of that sin, and it is atoned for.  Pray a prayer of confession, thanks and praise for the salvation Jesus won for you.  

The Problem of Wealth

Monday through Wednesday of this week my wife and I were at the Ohio District Pastors and Wives Conference.  The two main topics were on ministering to families dealing with children who have declared they have a same sex attraction and a theological presentation by our synodical president, Matt Harrison, on The Church and the Office of the Ministry by C.F.W. Walther.  Both topics were interesting and thought provoking.  Thank you for providing us the opportunity to continue to learn and grow! 

On Tuesday evening there was a banquet at which we celebrated anniversaries, milestones and achievements.  You should know that Gloria Dei was recognized by Pres. Cripe as a congregation that makes an impact with its investment dollars.  We currently, as a congregation and members combined, have over a million dollars invested in Church Extension Fund (C.E.F.).  Congregations, church workers, and ministries are able to use C.E.F. as a source for loans at low interest rates, and they also grant large sums of money to support the church.  Our investment helps make that possible. 

I was privileged to speak at this conference on Monday evening about the impact of mission work within the congregation.  It was exciting to share some experiences and to think about what mission trips to places like Haiti bring to a congregation.  We are at the very beginning of our mission work, so perhaps we have not seen so much, but I am convinced that mission work helps to clarify priorities, acts as a rallying point for people, calls people to ministry, and helps people grow in Christ.  We will take another step in our mission work this Sunday when Pr. Eliona Bernard from First Lutheran Church, Cap Haitian, Haiti will be with us to preach.  Please be sure to be here if you can, and invite a friend who may be interested. 

Mission work allows for participation across a broad spectrum that includes the entire congregation.  The obvious level of participation is seen in those who go.  Yet they would not go if they were not sent and supported spiritually, emotionally, and financially. 

That leads me to last Sunday’s message.  The Gospel lesson was Mark 10:23-31, which records an interchange between a rich young man and Jesus.  The account ends with the young man going away sad because his wealth stood between him and following Jesus. 

Wealth can be both a blessing and a curse.  If, like the young man in our scripture lesson, our wealth becomes the source of our comfort, the focus of our lives, or our reason for being, wealth is a curse that separates us from God.  Such dependence and adoration of wealth breaks the First Commandment:  You shall have no other gods.  If that is how we feel about our money we need to turn to the cross and repent!  We need forgiveness for such sins, and that is why Jesus died for us!

Wealth can be a blessing though.  Make no mistake sanctuaries are built with money.  Mission trips are funded with cash.  It takes funding to pay workers’ salaries, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide heat in the church, and purchase communion wine.  The proper use of our wealth is an important thing!  It is one of the ways we can show our love to God as we return tithes and offerings to Him in response to all of His benefits to us.  Our use of wealth is also a tool to show love for our neighbor as care for them for Jesus’ sake.  These are also powerful witnesses to others. 

I urge you to pray about your giving and the way you use your wealth.  Include a thank you to God for all the things He has provided for you – not the least of which are your life and salvation!  And ask God if your giving reflects the importance of His work and mission in your life, and if that’s okay with Him.  See how He leads you as a beloved, forgiven, blessed Child of God!

Questions to Ponder from Mark 10:23-31

-          When the young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life how did Jesus respond?  How have you lived in relation to the Commandments?  Have you, “kept all these,” from your youth? 

-          What was Jesus’ attitude toward the young man?  What did Jesus ask him to do after he said he had kept all of God’s commands?  What did that reveal about the young man?

-          How has God blessed you – spiritually, physically, financially, etc.?  Try to think through every aspect of your life and see how abundantly God has blessed you.

-          How did you learn to give?  When you put your offering in the plate why do you do that? 

-          Try this the next time you put your offering in the plate or see your Simply Giving draw:  Pray, “God, thank you for all I have.   In Jesus’ name, Amen.” 

A Word on Prayer

Today was the very first Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) meeting here at Gloria Dei!  There were a dozen ladies here, who all have preschool aged children, coming together to learn and grow in the ever-so-important vocation of being a mom. 

I played a very different role than I usually do in ministry settings as I went up to the loft and served as the A/V guy for the first part of the meeting.  The women watched a brief video which spoke to the purpose of MOPS describing the support, encouragement, and help that MOPS gives to mothers.  Part of the video that grabbed my attention was a statement to the effect these moms were the right moms for their children.  So often in life we feel inadequate for the task set before us – and that is certainly true of parenting!  It seemed to me a powerful affirmation that God gives us the gifts that we need to serve Him and others as we wear the various “hats” of different stations of life we fall into.  (For instance I wear the “hat” of pastor, but also husband, father, son, brother, citizen, consumer, etc.) 

That being said, one of the “hats” that we wear is that of being a disciple – a follower of Jesus.  And that “hat” gives us a wide variety of blessings and opportunities.  The chief of the blessings is the forgiveness of sins through which we are reconciled to God and can even begin to think of ourselves as His children!  This blessing opens the door to eternal life, reconciliation with our neighbor, joy, peace, and much more.  Among the opportunities we receive are those of hearing God’s Word (I am often by struck by the idea that as we hear God’s Word read to us that, if God is present in His Word as He promises, He is touching and tickling our ears to help us hear Him) and praying to Him.  It is on prayer that I’d like to focus our attention for a little while. 

Prayer is a great privilege.  God speaks to us in the Word, and we get to speak to Him in prayer.  He is a God of conversation and community!  He enjoys the time we spend with Him as we speak and listen, and whenever we pray we pray out of a relationship.  The Lord’s Prayer makes this clear.  Jesus said to pray this way, “Our Father who art in heaven….”  We teach our confirmation students that, “With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.”  (Small Catechism)

Over and over in Scripture we are urged to pray.  This past Sunday, James 5:13-18 was read in worship, where we are told to pray if we have trouble, if we are happy, when we are sick, when we have sinned, and more!  It sounds to me like we are encouraged to pray in about every kind of circumstance! 

We pray because God loves us.  We pray because He promises to hear us.  We pray because He commands us to.  We pray because we love God. 

Sometimes people get hung up on how to pray, though.  You may feel like you need special words or the right kind of piety to pray.  (You don’t.)  You may feel unworthy to pray.  (You are in yourself, but Jesus has made you worthy in His death and resurrection.)  You may feel like God is far away, your need is insignificant, your needs don’t matter, or even that you don’t matter.  I say this:  Look to the cross where God showed you how much He loves you, then pray – talk to Him.  If He loves you so much, surely the words you speak (no matter how informal), the needs you have, etc., surely matter to Him.  So pray. 

Questions to Ponder

-          Take a look at James 5:13-18.  What are the benefits of prayer?

-          Verse 16 tells us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.  Who are the righteous?  Look at Romans 3:23-24.  (Hint:  In the language the New Testament was written in “righteous” and “justified” are from the same word.)

-          What does James 5:17 say of Elijah?  How does that help us?

-          When do you pray?  What kinds of things do you pray about?

-          Have you ever had a prayer answered in an unexpected way?  Is there something that you have been praying about that hasn’t been answered as you desire?  How can knowing God’s love help you in both of these circumstances?

-          Why can you be confident that God hears and answers your prayers? 

A Word that Saves

“Repetition is the mother of learning,” or so the saying goes.  I have always struggled with that idea, though.  I have often complained about having to study certain subjects over and over.  I remember when I was in the seminary and I looked at the syllabus for one my classes, and there was an assignment that said, “Memorize the Small Catechism.”  I was deeply annoyed.  I had memorized the Small Catechism all through grade school.  I had to memorize it for Confirmation.  I had relearned parts of it when I was in college.  Why in the world would I have to study it again?!?! 

I later found that I didn’t know the Catechism nearly as well as I thought I knew it … so the repetition was a good thing! 

Often when we repeat things we are trying to drive home a thought, secure a fact in our minds, or just trying to make sure we remember something.  I believe that, in our Gospel lesson on Sunday, Jesus was doing those things for us. 

Mark 9:30-32 says that Jesus and His disciples, “left that place and passed through Galilee.  Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’  But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.” 

This was the second time Jesus had told them He would suffer and die.  The Gospel of Mark records four times that Jesus warns the disciples of His impending death and resurrection.  In addition to this, the consistent message of the New Testament is that this was God’s plan from the beginning to save us from our sins.  1 Corinthians 15:3-8 has Paul’s words stating that Jesus’ death and resurrection and the matter of “first importance” that everything else in the Christian faith revolves around. 

God’s Word is a Word that Saves.  That is the heart of the message of all the Scriptures:  God loves people, despite our sin, and brings salvation to us through Jesus’ cross and empty tomb.  This Word, however, does not just argue and seek to change minds.  This Word does what it declares.  Much as when God declared, “Let there be light,” and there was light, when God declares forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life to us, it is so! 

This is the beauty of Baptism: not the cuteness of a baby being christened, but the power of God’s Word declaring that child (or adult) to be washed of all her sins.  Similarly, the Lord’s Supper may seem like a solemn ritual of remembrance, but God’s Word, “given and shed for you,” delivers Jesus’ body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins!  And we should never overlook the Bible itself.  Here God has recorded His Word through the pens of saints who long ago entered His glory.  He moved them by His Spirit to deliver forgiveness we could not have received in any other way, for the mystery of the Gospel is this:  God saves sinners through His Son’s sacrifice. 

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”  Let that Word permeate your life, steep into every corner of your being, and infuse your speech, relationships, and thoughts.  It will change you – transform you! – to make you more and more like Jesus. 

Questions to Ponder

-          Sometimes people will say that Jesus just got swept up in the events of his day and got crucified.  In light of Mark 9, how would you respond to that? 

-          What are you reading right now?  (Not this note!  What books, articles, etc. are you reading?)  When/where do you read the Bible? 

-          Re-read Mark 9:30-32.  What does Jesus ask His followers to do in regard to salvation?  If this is the cost of salvation, what can we contribute?

-          How does the Word of Christ dwell in you?  What role does your Baptism play?  What about receiving the Lord’s Supper? 

-          Try this exercise:  Make a cup of tea.  Instead of pouring the hot water over the bag, pour the water into the cup and then add the tea bag.  Observe how the tea steeps.  If the tea is God’s Word, and the water is your life, how can this visual parable display Colossians 3:16?

-          How does reading/hearing God’s word impact the words that come from our lips?  What impact does hearing a Word that Saves have on our speech?  

A Word to Speak

My wife and I are committed to reading to our children.  From the time that they were very little, she and I have enjoyed reading to our kids.  It’s a special time when we can gather around a good book and be transported into a story.  The words have a power to project a world around us to enjoy for a little while, to help us experience beauty and sadness, and to help us think about ideas in ways we hadn’t before. 

As I said on Sunday, words are powerful.  And it was this powerful tool that God chose to use to do some amazing things.  He created the world and everything in it with words.  He reveals Himself to people through words.  And the person of Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, is, himself, called the Word which was made flesh. 

Christians are people whose lives have been touched and transformed by God’s Word.  The Holy Spirit works powerfully through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  He is also active when we take up our Bibles to read the Word ourselves; strengthening our faith, delivering forgiveness, and shaping our hearts and minds to be reflective of Christ.  I would add that this true of listening to the Word too, if you have an audio-Bible on your iPod, mp3 player, a disc or an audio tape - or even records, like my grandma had!  (Kids, if you don’t know what records were, they were kind of like cds only they made their sound through a needle with wonderful hissing and scratching sounds.) 

I am often asked by people how they can grow in their faith, have more joy, or be more committed Christ-followers.  My answer is consistently – God’s Word.  Get into a Bible study that digs into the Scriptures.  Hear what God says.  Go to worship and hear the word read and preached.  Not only that, but in worship we sometimes see God’s Word in action in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as it creates faith, forgives sins, and binds us to the hope we have in Jesus.  There is nothing like the Word of God to transform our lives. 

In Isaiah 50:4 we find these beautiful words related to God’s Word.  “The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.  He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”    There are a couple things I really love about this passage.  One is the hearing/speaking dynamic.  The other is the idea of being equipped morning by morning for the task ahead of us; speaking a word to sustain the weary. 

Before Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1) He told his disciples that they would be his witnesses at home, nearby, among their enemies, and far away.  We talk about witnessing sometimes, and when we do we often do so in hushed tones of awe.  Really, being a witness just means that you saw or heard something, and now you tell others what you saw and heard.  This is echoed in Peter’s words before the Sanhedrin, “… we cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard.”  (Acts 4) 

What had they seen and heard?  Jesus – crucified, buried, risen, and ascended.  What about us?  Have we not seen the same thing through the text of the Bible?  Have we not seen and heard of a God who loves us so much as to give His only begotten Son for us?  Have we not beheld with our eyes and perceived with our ears the Good News that there is salvation apart from our own works and efforts?  Have we not looked upon the Word that declares us to be holy, despite our sin, and had words spoken to us that stated, “Your sins are forgiven and washed away in the blood of Jesus!”? 

Hearing and speaking God’s Word go hand in hand.  Woe to the pastor who never reads his Bible.  And pity the Christian that never reads the Word, so she never sees or hears the message to proclaim.  And, friends, if that last sentence describes you, let me just say, “Repent!”  And then, knowing that all your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake, take up your Bible and read some Psalms, part of Gospel, or even an epistle.  See and hear what the Lord has done for you, hear the powerful word God will speak to you, and then a day will come when you find yourself speaking of Jesus; speaking the words of eternal life. 

Questions to Ponder

-          Isaiah 50:4 talks about an instructed tongue and listening like one being taught.  How have you been instructed in the God’s Word? 

-          The passage speaks of a word to sustain the weary.  What wearies people in this World?  What is the root cause of our problems?  What is the solution?

-          How did you come to know Jesus?  Were words involved? 

-          Isaiah 50:4 speaks of being instructed by God Himself.  How does knowing/believing that God speaks through the Bible directly to us impact your opinion of reading the Word?

-          How do you stay connected to the Lord and hear His Word?  What might you do to deepen that connection with Him?  

A Word to Hear

They say that silence is golden, but sometimes it is oppressive, and if it is unbroken, as it is for the deaf person, silence forms a barrier between people.  Something similar can happen when we cease to hear God’s Word; obstacles begin to go up. 

Our God is a God of community and conversation.  He desires to be with us and to speak with us.  In the normal course of things He does this through the Word –when it is preached, when it is read, in the Sacraments, and when it is embodied by His people.  (…[W]e are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  - 2Corinthians 5:20 ESV)  He wants us to hear Him, and He longs for our response in prayers and actions. 

We must be specific in this, though, this community and conversation with God is something He begins.  We cannot make it happen.  He finds us.  He “calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies” every believer, and keeps us in the one true faith, that is, He keeps us in community and conversation with Him. 

However, like the child who “didn’t hear” his mom when she called because he was having too much fun in the yard, we sometimes choose to not hear God’s Word.  Sometimes we “stuff our ears” to avoid hearing God’s voice.  Not that we always do this intentionally.  Sometimes we are so busy, filled with worried thoughts, and consumed with things of this life that God’s voice is lost in hubbub. 

What do we do then?  How do we hear God’s voice again? 

I think we can find a clue in our Gospel lesson from this past Sunday (Mark 7:31-37).  This reading recorded the encounter of Jesus with a deaf man who could not speak properly.  Jesus healed the man in a peculiar way.  Taking the man away from the crowd to a more private setting, Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears, and then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.  It was like a form of sign language.  Jesus was telling the man what his problem was.  Putting His fingers in the man’s ear was like saying, “You are deaf.”  Spitting and touching his tongue:  “You can’t speak properly.” 

How is that helpful?  Well, sometimes we need someone to point out the obvious to us.  It’s like when someone says, “You are too busy.”  And you think, “Perhaps that’s why I feel disconnected from my family.”  Or someone says, “You have too much stress.”  And you realize, “Maybe that’s why my prayers seem so shallow, I’m still holding on to my problems instead of giving them to God.”  Again, we gather and someone says, “You are a sinner.”  And we respond, “I need forgiveness.” 

Let’s be clear:  Jesus’ stating the obvious is not mocking or making fun, like we sometimes do when we tell someone, “Duh!  That was obvious!”  It is a statement of compassion that reflects His desire to save the man.  His deep sigh and speaking of, “Ephphatha!  Be opened!” shows that! 

We need to hear that word spoken to us, “Ephphatha!” that we might hear God’s Word anew.  Then our spiritual “ears” are opened to hear God’s Word rightly proclaiming His Law and Gospel to us; telling us of our sin and delivering God’s forgiveness in Christ. 

This will then loosen our tongues, to share the good news of God’s love with others, to sing our Redeemer’s praise, and to speak, “Gloria Dei!” – that is, “Glory to God!” 

  

Questions to Ponder

-          While I have used the events of this healing as a parallel to how Jesus spiritually opens our ears, this is a real event with a real deaf person.  What would be the biggest challenge for that man in this scenario?  What about the crowd?  What about Jesus? 

-          Look at the way Jesus healed the man.  Imagine watching the event as it unfolded.  How did Jesus protect the deaf man’s dignity?  What does this teach us about our care for others? 

-          How did the man respond to the healing?  What about the crowd?  Why is the crowd’s response significant?  (See Isaiah 35:4-7 for a hint.)

-          How are verses 33-35 parallel to God’s application of Law (confronting us with our sin) and Gospel (giving us forgiveness for Jesus’ sake)? 

-          Do you ever shut God’s Word out of your hearing?  If so, how?  Pray about that, repenting and knowing that God forgives you!  (1 John 1:9-10)

-          If God is a God of community and conversation, what does this say about the importance of things like Sunday worship, personal devotions, Bible study and prayer?